Gemma@OCDUK

Hi Summer, I'm sorry to hear about your experiences so far accessing treatment on the NHS, waiting times can be very difficult when you're struggling so much. I can understand it must be frustrating to be offered another low intensity option when you have asked for high intensity. The NICE guidelines do state; 1.5.1.2 Adults with OCD with mild functional impairment who are unable to engage in low intensity CBT (including ERP), or for whom low intensity treatment has proved to be inadequate, should be offered the choice of either a course of an SSRI or more intensive CBT (including ERP) (more than 10 therapist hours per patient), because these treatments appear to be comparably efficacious. So you should be offered high intensity therapy, so provided the low intensity therapist is offering high intensity CBT, then it could still be worth giving it a go. The most important thing is that your therapist understands OCD and how to tackle OCD with CBT and ERP. You mentioned that you're also seeing your secondary care team in March. If you don't find IAPT helpful then you could ask about having therapy with them, however there are often long waiting times involved, so sticking with IAPT for now may be a good option. Alternatively, if you don't feel like this IAPT service is for you, then you could consider looking into others locally and using your Right to Choose via your GP. Right to Choose allows you to pick your mental health provider as long as it is at the same level of treatment. So in your case it would be another IAPT service. Locally, there are quite a few options. Two options are Vita Health Group: VitaMinds Basildon & Brentwood and Health in Mind (Mid Essex IAPT), unless the IAPT you're attending is one of these. It might also be helpful to look into some self-help material like Break Free from OCD https://www.ocduk.org/shop/break-free-from-ocd/ which is a great way to learn what good CBT looks like. Gemma

Hi Songbird, I really hope you find the links helpful. I just wanted to clarify that we can only recommend Dr Ann Perry at the Priory Ticehurst, as I know there are many other Priorys and therapists across the country, and their expertise is not known to us Gemma

Hi Summer Suicidal thoughts can occur in young people when they begin taking SSRIs, so they are often closely monitored by their prescribing doctor, I'm not sure if this is also true for clomipramine, but it's OK to ask at your appointment. It is common for clomipramine (Anafranil) to be tried if SSRIs don't seem to work for an individual and it is in line with the NICE guidelines for the treatment of OCD. Clomipramine is a tricyclic anti-depressant, which means it is in the older group of anti-depressants. The biggest different is that it is not a selective SRI, which means it can cause more side-effects. However, I have spoken to people who have found it really helpful and this may be the case for you too. If you have any concerns then please do raise them with your prescribing doctor. We have a great presentation on medication from our online conference that might really help your understanding of medication for OCD, you can watch here https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/main/medication-and-ocd/ I think the most important thing to note is that everyone is different so what works for one person, doesn't always work for another. Are you accessing CBT for OCD too, as we know medication is often not enough on its own? Gemma

Hi Songbird, Welcome to the forum I'm sorry to hear that your boyfriend is struggling at the moment and know how much of a strain OCD and anxiety generally can place on a relationship. It sounds like you communicate well though and support each other which a good place to start We have a fantastic presentation on OCD and ASD from our online conference last year, that you and your boyfriend might find helpful to watch together https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/breakout/ocd-autism/ It suggests some fantastic resources too, like how to adapt CBT for autistic people, that may help explain why your boyfriend didn't find CBT helpful previously. In terms of private specialist CBT therapists, there is Dr Ann Perry at the Priory Ticehurst in East Sussex, however, she may be above your budget and I know was very busy last year. We do have some advice for finding a private therapist on our website, https://www.ocduk.org/finding-a-private-therapist/ and to search for a therapist who is trained in CBT in your area you can use the BABCP database here http://www.cbtregisteruk.com/ Prices may vary, but so too can the expertise of each therapist, which is why we recommend that you search the BABCP database and contact each individually to see if they have a good understanding of OCD and to find out the costs involved. Has your boyfriend had CBT previously on the NHS? Is this something he would consider again? Gemma

Hi Ant, I think it is unlikely that they will instantly call emergency services, especially if you begin by firstly explaining that you do not want to hurt yourself but that you're having intrusive thoughts about hurting yourself that are causing you distress. You can even explain that you have talked to someone at OCD-UK who suggested this can happen on some medications for OCD and can happen in those with OCD generally. I hope this is helpful to you, Gemma

Hi Tux, I'm sorry to hear that you're worrying a lot about your relationship at the moment. The key to finding out if something is OCD is not, is to look at what compulsions you're doing to try to work out these doubts and stop doing them. If it's OCD, it's likely you'll initially feel worried, but eventually will start to feel less doubt and more confident about your relationship. If your doubts are genuine, then they will continue, but again you'll feel more confident about what to do. Try to remember that all OCD does is cause more problems, so looking at tackling it, can only help things be clearer. It might feel to hard to just give up thinking things over and over, checking etc. so instead you could just try it for an hour or so and then keep increasing the time. We do have a great presentation on HOCD and ROCD that you might find helpful from our online conference here https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/breakout/hocd-and-rocd-same-but-different/ You could perhaps watch it with your partner so that they can have insight into these types of worries in OCD. Gemma

Hi Ant, I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling so much at the moment. It's hard to say for sure what has caused the sudden increase in intrusive thoughts, it's possible that it could be the medication, as this is a common side effect of some SSRIs in young people, alternatively it could be due to an increase in anxiety because you're tackling other problems, or could just be OCD fluctuating. You mentioned that you're getting help for depression and GAD/panic disorder, but if OCD is your biggest problem right now, it could be worth mentioning this to your therapist. The current recommended treatment for OCD is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which is often used in the treatment of the other mental health problems you mentioned, so a therapist should be able to formulate the structure of CBT around these worries. I think speaking to your prescribing doctor about the medication would be a good idea and if you are worried they will just take you off them then it's OK to begin with your worries. They are there to help you make decisions that are in your best interest, so please try not to worry about it. The most important thing to know is that intrusive thoughts like this are incredibly common and that although they are distressing they are just thoughts and thoughts don't mean you will actually harm yourself. If you can, try to identify what compulsions you're doing in response, as these keep the problem going and make it worse long term. Gemma

Hi TriangleFace, That's a great question. My understanding is that obsessions can be recurrent thoughts, images, impulses or doubts, so there isn't necessarily a clear intrusive thought for every compulsion. It might be that you wash your hands in a particular way until it feels right, therefore the obsession would be an impulse or uncomfortable feeling, or it may be that you used to have an intrusive thought, when you began handwashing this way, but that now it is forgotten. Sometimes in therapy, therapists encourage someone to challenge the behaviour to find out what it is they are worried about. In some instances, giving up the compulsion is easy and it has simply become a habit. I hope this is helpful Gemma

Hi paperwings Welcome to the forum! I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling at the moment with what sounds like a lot of checking and worrying day to day. Obviously, I am not a mental health professional but I can say that what you describe does sound like OCD. People with OCD typically have worries about something bad happening, these are called obsessions and then they take action to prevent the bad thing, this is with compulsions. Checking is a really common compulsion for those with OCD and can come in many forms, including checking your memory and reassurance seeking. Although ACT is a type of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), CBT is the recommended treatment for OCD. CBT looks at the meanings someone places on their thoughts and feelings and how they can react differently to them. The goal of CBT is to help someone become their own therapist, so when thoughts or feelings come up, they have the tools to deal with them and not get stuck the OCD cycle. CBT can also help address someone's inflated sense of responsibility, which is common for those with OCD. A really fantastic self-help book to learn more about OCD and CBT is Break Free from OCD https://www.ocduk.org/shop/break-free-from-ocd/ It is written by top specialists in the treatment of OCD. Gemma

Hi Bay Leaf, It sounds like you are doing lots of healthy things at the moment. Learning to have boundaries with your dad and knowing that staying over at his house is not a good thing for you, are excellent things to learn in therapy. Sometimes CBT for OCD, involves us seeing how to look after our own mental wellbeing as we know OCD plays on an inflated sense of responsibility, which can mean we are there for other people, even when it is to our detriment. I think the most important thing is for you to realise that it isn't your responsibility to bring OCD to your dad's attention, even if it would be good for him to access support. You could mention it again, you could even encourage him to read or watch something you have found helpful, that way he learns more about it, but indirectly. Some of our conference presentations are a good way to introduce OCD to our loved ones. You can access both sets of recordings here https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2020-virtual/conference-map/ and here https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/ I hope this is helpful, Gemma

Hi Mini, Fluctuations in hormones during the menstrual cycle and menopause are known to exacerbate OCD symptoms, as they do many things. In fact OCD symptoms and periods has to be one of the most common forum posts. The most important point is that CBT will help during times of fluctuating hormones, and what helps generally will also help then. Ignoring thoughts that you think are OCD is a good place to start Gemma

Hi DJ1000, I'm sorry to hear that you aren't available to join the others. If you email Zoe at parents@ocduk.org then she can add you to the cancellation list and if a space opens up then she would get in contact. Gemma

Hi DJ1000, The workshops are from 9am to 5pm. Have you have booked a ticket to the Northampton workshop? Spaces are by booking only and after booking you will be sent an email with directions and timings. If you haven’t booked, unfortunately we are fully booked for the Northampton workshop. However we will be opening our Derby workshop for bookings in the next coming weeks or we can add you to the cancellation list for Northampton, all you would need to do is email parents@ocduk.org and let our project lead Zoe know. Gemma

Hi Chihuahua, I'm sorry to hear that the referral to OHSPIC is currently not going to plan. I'm not sure why your GP wants support for the referral to OHSPIC, especially as OHSPIC have already said that you are eligible for treatment with them. We know that those with Hoarding Disorder need a psychological intervention to help them deal with the feelings and beliefs they have about discarding items and that a decluttering company simply isn't enough. If you feel able I would suggest asking your GP to put in a request to your local CCG for funding for treatment at OHSPIC. Your GP doesn't need the support of your local psychotherapy department to do this. It's very possible that the CCG will reject your funding proposal, but if this happens try not to worry and let us know at support@ocduk.org and we will advise you on what next steps you can take to appeal their decision. Gemma

Hi Everyone, We just wanted to let you know that registration is now open for our online annual conference this year. We have some fantastic presentations aimed at loved ones and young people, some of which are listed below. For the full agenda visit our website here https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/ For parents and guardians; Family Accommodation - https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/family/family-accommodation/ A parents role in CBT treatment for OCD - https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/family/a-parents-role-in-cbt-treatment-for-ocd/ Parents caring for themselves - https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/family/parents-caring-for-themselves/ For loved ones; What family and friends can do to help a loved one with OCD - https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/family/what-family-and-friends-can-do-to-help/ For young people; Teens Tipi launch followed by Drawing workshop with Zoë - https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/teen-tipi/drawing-workshop-with-zoe/ Creative Writing Workshop for Teens - https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/teen-tipi/creative-writing-for-teens/ Let's talk about therapy with our Young Ambassadors - https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/teen-tipi/lets-talk-about-therapy/ We are looking forward to seeing you there, Gemma

Hi Summer, You'll find that OCD will throw these sorts of worries at you, what if I lose control, what if something happens, but it's just OCD's way of stopping you living your life. When we react to these worries and avoid doing things, we never find out that nothing would have happened if we had just carried on as normal and that is OCD's trump card. You haven't had CBT yet, so you are still yet to learn these tools, so in the meantime learn as much as you can before therapy, so that you can start to tackle it, in whatever small way you can. In terms of telling your mum, it does depend on why you want to tell her. Some people rely heavily on reassurance from their loved ones, but since this is just another compulsion, it really doesn't help in the long term. If you want to help her understand, then watching some of our conference together might help as will reading the book by Adam and Lauren Gemma

Hi snowbear, Because the Q&A with Prof Adam Radomsky and Prof Paul Salkovskis is for member's only, members need to email conference@ocduk.org to receive the registration link. But I might add it to the member's area of the forum later to make it a little easier for members on the forum Gemma

Looking forward to seeing you there GBG

Hi Hd120820, I'm sorry that things are so difficult at the moment, but although things feel awful just now, it doesn't mean they always will, you just need the tools to begin to tackle this problem. Have you looked into accessing any Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) on the NHS? You might find the presentation Health Anxiety and OCD helpful at our annual conference this year. You can register for it here https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/cafe/health-anxiety-and-ocd/ Gemma

Hi Summer9173, This is common worry for many people, I know it can feel scary to open up about intrusive thoughts, but it is unlikely that you will be sectioned for thoughts that you are so scared of, so please try not to worry too much about it. Harm based thoughts are very common amongst the OCD community and mental health professionals will most likely have heard them all before. Have you reached out for support from the NHS? There is a great self-help book that you might find helpful called Anxiety and Related Depression https://www.ocduk.org/shop/ocd-anxiety-related-depression/ which is co-written by Adam Shaw a sufferer and his therapist Lauren Callaghan. Adam struggled with OCD around thoughts of harm for some time and Lauren helped him to recovery. You might also find the presentation ''It’s not the thought that counts: Unpacking the different types of thoughts and thinking in OCD'' by Adam Radomsky which is happening at our annual conference online this year. Hopefully, this will help to debunk the myth that thoughts matter. You can register here https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/main/its-not-the-thought-that-counts/ Gemma

Hi ThomasOCD, I'm sorry to hear that you're finding things so tough at the moment. It sounds like you're doing a lot of mental checking and rumination on this subject which we know will contribute to all the doubt and negative feelings you're experiencing. Perhaps a good place to start would be to work out what compulsions you're doing that are keeping this going, hopefully this is also something your therapist can help you with. You need to break this cycle but it's important that your therapist helps you to choose to change your reactions to these doubts. We are hosting a presentation on HOCD and ROCD at our conference this year which you might find helpful. The therapist who is speaking has noticed that this is a common theme at the moment for many of her clients. You can register for the presentation here https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/breakout/hocd-and-rocd-same-but-different/ Despite times being tough right now, you can still get through this and overcome OCD, so don't lose hope Gemma

Hello everyone! We are delighted to announce that we have further dates for our parent workshops for parents of children between the ages of 5-18 with OCD. Northampton - Friday 7th January 2022 Derby - Thursday 3rd February 2022 Buxton - Saturday 5th March 2022 Leicester - Friday 1st April 2022 We have designed the workshops to be COVID safe, to ensure that those who are vulnerable to COVID-19 feel comfortable throughout the day. The host and co-host will take a lateral flow COVID-19 test a couple of days prior to the event, as well as providing disposable face masks should anyone wish to use one. Upon entry, there will be complimentary hand sanitiser available, as well as on the table(s). If you have any questions about COVID-19 and our parent workshops, please email parents@ocduk.org where we will be happy to answer any questions you may have. We are offering parents the opportunity to attend a FREE full day workshop to help them understand OCD in an informative education programme whilst waiting for treatment to begin. The workshop will include education on the following: What is OCD How OCD is treated Pathways to access treatment What parents can do to help Please note that the project hosts are not professionals and will not be offering therapeutic advice. The project is hosted by service-users who have an in depth understanding of OCD, and the aim of this workshop is to offer relevant and helpful information to restore hope for a recovery focused future. The project is funded for parents with children aged 5-18 (CAMHS age) suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder For more information or to book, visit here https://www.ocduk.org/parents/

OCD-UK are hosting their annual conference online again this year on 27th and 28th November and registration is now open. We have presentations on the cognitive side of therapy, why compulsions are so compelling, OCD and autism and many many more. Register for each presentation here https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/ We look forward to seeing you there!

Hi Jooles, I have spoken to parents who have given up work to look after their child, but I would say on average parents do not, and the goal would be for life not to change too much in response to OCD. Is it something you are considering? Is your child accessing any support at the moment? Gemma

Hi Ziggyy, I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling more this month with intrusive thoughts. It can be hard to apply things that we know are true, like ''if you worry about it, then it probably didn't happen'', but try to remember that taking a leap of faith that things are OCD is an important part of CBT, and that feelings are slow to catch up with how we act. So if you can change your behaviour, the worry and doubt will reduce over time, you just need to be consistent in not doing compulsions. We do have some great advice for coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder here https://www.ocduk.org/related-disorders/seasonal-affective-disorder/ that you might find helpful. Please know that you are not alone in finding this time difficult, but you can get through it Remember that from the 21st December, days start getting longer again! Gemma